Creeping privatisation warning over dialysis unit

Independent and Plaid Cymru councillors on Powys County Council have vowed to stand side by side to protect NHS jobs at Welshpool’s dialysis unit after new fears of privatisation.

Last year Independent Councillor Graham Breeze and Councillor Elwyn Vaughan, Plaid Cymru leader at PCC, with support from Assembly Members, successfully fought off plans by the Betsi Cadwalader University Health Board (BUHB) to privatise the jobs at Welshpool Hospital.

At the time Welsh Government was preparing to transfer skilled dialysis staff in Wrexham and Welshpool from the NHS to a private provider. Now a new dialysis unit in Mold is going to be built, equipped and staffed by a private firm, raising fresh concerns.

Councillor Vaughan said: “It’s not the first – in the Betsi Cadwalader region both Bangor and Alltwen, Porthmadog dialysis units are already run by private companies and hence we need continued vigilance to ensure that the Welshpool unit continues to be an integral part of the NHS.

“This is creeping privatisation of our NHS that Labour rails against in England but is complicit in Wales,” he added.

Councillor Breeze said: “We must stand side by side with the nursing staff at both Welshpool and Wrexham to ensure that we don’t see creeping privatisation.

“It is vital that we remain vigilant because last year’s promises by Welsh Government can soon be forgotten and we have an absolute duty to protect the future of the outstanding facility in Welshpool for both patients and staff.”

Last year Vaughan Gething, Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services sent written assurance to Welshpool staff that their jobs would not be privatised in response to protests by Councillors Breeze and Vaughan.